Lamar Jackson and Peyton Manning are two drastically different types of quarterbacks. Manning was your prototypical pocket passer. Jackson, meanwhile, is the definition of a dual-threat signal-caller. He already holds the NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback (6,173).
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Despite their unique styles, Jackson and Manning have a lot in common. Unfortunately, most of it relates to poor playoff showings. Their postseason stats through six seasons were almost identical. And when the Baltimore Ravens got eliminated by the Buffalo Bills last year, they remained eerily alike.
The similarity in playoff stats between Peyton Manning and Lamar Jackson through their first 6 seasons is actually kinda uncanny pic.twitter.com/xYCjcDAYCd
— Cam (@CamJones997) January 30, 2024
First 7 NFL seasons
Peyton Manning Lamar Jackson
✅ 3-5 in playoffs ✅
✅ Multi-time MVP ✅
❌ Super Bowl Appearance ❌ pic.twitter.com/u5AG0nZCpn— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) January 20, 2025
Manning fought the same “playoff choker” accusations Jackson is currently dealing with early in his career. He eventually got over the hump, capturing a Super Bowl ring with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos. Jackson, at this point, hasn’t reached a Super Bowl. But he’s not backing down from the challenge or shying away from his previous shortcomings. According to Ravens quarterbacks coach Tee Martin, Jackson spent much of the offseason studying Baltimore’s 2024 defeats.
“We were talking about… what he was watching… the first thing he said was ‘the games that we lost.’ He’s like, ‘I just want to know how we lost them… [and] what we can do better.’ He’s already thinking that way… [and] individually, we had great discussions about the things that he wants to improve at.” – Tee Martin
The Ravens’ 2024 record, including playoffs, was 13-6. All six losses came by one possession, and Baltimore had a realistic chance of winning or tying the game with less than two minutes remaining in five of them.
With Jackson, the Ravens are consistently among the NFL’s best teams. FanDuel Sportsbook has Baltimore as the co-favorite, alongside the Buffalo Bills, to win Super Bowl LX (+700). On Tuesday, Jackson expressed belief that enhanced chemistry will allow the Ravens to take the next step and become champions.
“Bonding with my guys [will] help us out a lot more on the field… being around each other a lot more, we’ll probably know what one of us is thinking ahead [of time]… these guys, they [will] know what I’m thinking without me saying too much.” – Lamar Jackson
Jackson and Co. will begin the 2025 campaign where their 2024 season painfully ended: on the road against the Bills. The highly anticipated rematch is the first Sunday Night Football contest of the year. Kickoff is set for Sept. 7 at 8:20 p.m. E.T. on NBC.
